BIG-HEARTED customers at a Cradley cafe have chipped in a total of £2,000 for an animal charity over the last three years - all in memory of a gentle giant of a dog called Ronnie.

Denise Turley, owner of the Lyde Green Cafe, began fund-raising for Birmingham Dogs Home soon after the death of her beloved bull mastiff at the ripe old age of almost 13.

Customers donate their spare change into a large whisky bottle, buy regular raffle tickets and bring in dog bedding and toys in memory of Ronnie, who had to be put down in November 2013.

"Bull mastiffs normally don't live beyond 10 and the black masks on their faces don't get the chance to go grey - but Ronnie went grey over the last couple of years of his life," said Mrs Turley, aged 53.

"He was such a character - a gentle giant.

"Ronnie always did what Ronnie wanted - and if he didn't want to do something, no way could you get him to do it.

"That's probably why he lived so long for a dog of his breed."

Mrs Turley, a mother-of-three and a grandmother, and her late husband, Gary - who died suddenly 11 years ago at the age of 45 - took in Ronnie when he was aged just five weeks.

After Ronnie was put to sleep, the family spotted an advert for Birmingham Dogs Home saying that every 30p donated gave a dog a good Christmas and New Year dinner, so they decided to put the whisky bottle in the cafe to collect for the charity.

"In three weeks we raised £120 and we've kept it going ever since," said Mrs Turley.